Interpretation of magnetic anomalies using a genetic algorithm

A genetic algorithm (GA) is an artificial intelligence method used for optimization. We applied a GA to the inversion of magnetic anomalies over a thick dike. Inversion of nonlinear geophysical problems using a GA has advantages because it does not require model gradients or well-defined initial model parameters. The evolution process consists of selection, crossover, and mutation genetic operators that look for the best fit to the observed data and a solution consisting of plausible compact sources. The efficiency of a GA on both synthetic and real magnetic anomalies of dikes by estimating model parameters, such as depth to the top of the dike (H), the half-width of the dike (B), the distance from the origin to the reference point (D), the dip of the thick dike (δ), and the susceptibility contrast (k), has been shown. For the synthetic anomaly case, it has been considered for both noise-free and noisy magnetic data. In the real case, the vertical magnetic anomaly from the Pima copper mine in Arizona, USA, and the vertical magnetic anomaly in the Bayburt–Sar?han skarn zone in northeastern Turkey have been inverted and interpreted. We compared the estimated parameters with the results of conventional inversion methods used in previous studies. We can conclude that the GA method used in this study is a useful tool for evaluating magnetic anomalies for dike models.     

The geology and morphology of the Antakya Graben between the Amik Triple Junction and the Cyprus Arc

In southeastern Turkey, the NE-trending Antakya Graben forms an asymmetric depression filled by Pliocene marine siliciclastic sediment, Pleistocene to Recent fluvial terrace sediment, and alluvium. Along the Mediterranean coast of the graben, marine terrace deposits sit at different elevations ranging from 2 to 180 m above present sea level, with ages ranging from MIS 2 to 11. A multisegmented, dominantly sinistral fault lying along the graben may connect the Cyprus Arc in the west to the Amik Triple Junction on the Dead Sea Fault (DSF) in the east. Normal faults, which are younger than the sinistral ones, bound the graben’s southeastern margin. The westward escape of the continental ?skenderun Block, delimited by sinistral fault segments belonging to the DSF in the east and the Eastern Anatolian Fault in the north caused the development of a sinistral transtensional tectonic regime, which has opened the Antakya Graben since the Pliocene. In the later stages of this opening, normal faults developed along the southeastern margin that caused the graben to tilt to the southwest, leading to differential uplift of Mediterranean coastal terraces. Most of these normal faults remain active. In addition to these tectonic movements, Pleistocene sea level changes in the Mediterranean affected the geomorphological evolution of the area.     

Spectral Ratio Estimates for Site Effects on the Horst–Graben System in West Turkey

Recordings of micro- and moderate-size local earthquakes have been used to quantify site effects in the central-west Turkey which contains one of the world’s best examples of a rapid intra-continental extension with its high population and industrial potential. We analyzed 436 earthquakes with local magnitudes ranging between 2.0 and 5.6 using three component digital recordings from 32 stations. Site functions were obtained using two different spectral ratio approaches (horizontal to vertical spectral ratio, HVSR, and standard spectral ratio, SSR). HVSR estimates of transverse and radial S-waves were compared with one another. Epicentral distance, magnitude and back-azimuth dependencies of site functions were also evaluated. In general, HVSR values from transverse and radial S-waves are similar within a factor of 2. The back-azimuth dependencies of transverse S-wave HVSR results are more significant than distance and magnitude dependencies. On the other hand, averaging of transverse and radial S-wave HVSR results eliminates systematic back-azimuth dependencies caused by source radiation effects. Distributions of HVSR estimates along ~N–S linear array, which traversed main grabens in the region with a station spacing of 3–4 km, reflect subsurface geological complexities in the region. The sites located near the basin edges are characterized by broader HVSR curves. Broad HVSR peaks could be attributed to the complexity of wave propagation related to significant 2D/3D velocity variations at the sediment–bedrock interface near the basin edges. The results also show that, even if the site is located on a horst, the presence of weathered zones along the surface could cause moderate frequency dependent site effects. Comparison of HVSR and SSR estimates for the stations on the graben sites showed that SSR estimates give larger values at lower frequencies which could be attributed to lateral variations in regional velocity and attenuation values caused by basin geometry and edge effects.     

Discretization of Complex Geometric Domain Through Computer-Based Stair-Step Representation Method for Estimating Water Levels Associated with A Storm

In this paper, an improvement has been made to the approximation technique of a complex domain through the stairstep approach to have a considerable accuracy, minimize computational cost, and avoid the hardship of manual work. A novel stair-step representation algorithm is used in this regard, where the entire procedure is carried out through our developed MATLAB routine. Arakawa C-grid is used in our approximation with (1/120)° grid resolution. As a test case, the method is applied to approximate the domain covering the area between 15°–23°N latitudes and 85°–95° E longitudes in the Bay of Bengal. Along with the approximation of the land-sea interface, coastal stations are also identified. Approximated land-sea interfaces and coastal stations are found to be in good agreement with the actual ones based on the similarity index, overlap fraction, and extra fraction criteria. The method can be used for approximating an irregular geometric domain to employ the finite difference method in solving problems related to long waves. As a test case, shallow water equations in Cartesian coordinates are solved on the domain of interest for simulating water levels due to the nonlinear tide-surge interaction associated with the storms April 1991 and AILA, 2009 along the coast of Bangladesh. The same input except for the discretized domain and bathymetry as that of Paul et al. (2016) is used in our simulation. The results are found to be in reasonable agreement with the observed data procured from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.

     

Effect of sludge pretreatment on the performance of anaerobic/ anoxic/ oxic membrane bioreactor treating domestic wastewater

In the present study, two bench-scale anaerobic/ anoxic/ oxic submerged membrane bioreactors were used to study the effect of thermochemical sludge disintegration system on the excess sludge production. Among the two membrane bioreactors, one was named experimental membrane bioreactor and another one was named as control membrane bioreactor, where a part of the mixed liquor was treated with thermo chemical and was returned back to membrane bioreactor. Thermo chemical digestion of sludge was carried out at fixed pH (11) and temperature (75 °C) for 24 % chemical oxygen demand solution. The other one was named control membrane bioreactor and was used as control. The reactors were operated at three different mixed liquor suspended solids range starting from 7500 mg/L to 15000 mg/L. Both of membrane bioreactors were operated at a flux of 17 LMH over a period of 240 days. The designed flux was increased stepwise over a period of one week. During the 240 days of reactor operation, both of membrane bioreactors maintained relatively constant transmembrane pressure. The sludge digestion had no impact on chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of the reactor. The results based on the study indicated that the proposed process configuration has potential to reduce the excess sludge production as well as it didn’t deteriorate the treated water quality.     

Spatial and temporal variation of suspended sediment concentration versus turbidity in the stream Harşit Watershed,NE Turkey

Suspended sediment related studies based on direct measurements for Turkish rivers and streams are very few for various reasons such as cost, time, or fewer operational sediment gauging stations, and thus the researchers tend to look for indirect methods. Turkey is a developing country and in need of many investments, which resulted in engineering and management modifications in its river and stream systems. This paper investigates the spatial and temporal variations of suspended sediment concentration (SSC, mg/L) versus turbidity (NTU) in the stream Har?it watershed having a length of the main branch at 143 km and catchment area of 3,280 km², Eastern Black Sea Basin of Turkey. Subsequently, the effect of the all kinds of anthropogenic activities was evaluated, namely, dam operation, levee construction, municipal wastewater discharge, sand–gravel mining on SSC, and turbidity in the watershed. In situ turbidity monitoring and water sampling studies were semimonthly conducted at ten stations from March 2009 to February 2010. On a semimonthly basis, it was revealed that SSC and turbidity values having significant correlation varied spatially and temporarily. The municipal wastewater discharge from the city of Gümü?hane together with the decreasing flow rate revealed itself with a significant increase in the turbidity and SSC, especially in the summer months. Torul Dam having a reservoir volume of 168 hm³ could trap 78.6 % of the SSC and could remove 66.6 % of the turbidity, thanks to its long hydraulic residence time; however, Kürtün Dam released the suspended sediment as a result of its sluiceway tunnel operation. Sand–gravel mining activities between the last two stations severely affected the water quality by increasing the SSC and turbidity.     

Evaluation of rock falls in an urban area: the case of Boğaziçi (Erzincan/Turkey)

Disasters caused by events such as earthquake, flooding, rock falls, landslides are often encountered. However, generally, the reasons for the destructive and devastating effects of these nature events are that settlement locations were chosen without site investigation studies, or that available studies were inadequate. Such inadequacies in the field are related to inappropriate settlement location and the resulting damage caused by rock falls. This study evaluated rockfall risk in a settlement that developed in a similar manner. The study was carried out in Bo?aziçi village of Kemah (Erzincan/Turkey), which is located in a very important tectonic zone. The study site is located on the lower sections of an area with very steep cliffs and 50–75° slopes. This cliff, which is the source of rockfalls, has a slope dip of approximately 90°. The cliff comprises 25–30 m high, fractured and cracked basaltic volcanic mass. To determine block size in the study area, scanline survey measurements and block size measurements were performed on blocks that loosened and fell from the cliff face. It was found that block sizes reached 6 m³. Rockfall analyses were performed along the selected profiles using the Rockfall V.4.0 software. Kinetic energy, bounce height, horizontal location of rock end-points, and velocity of the rocks along each section were evaluated separately for each profile. This data were used to produce distribution maps for each profile and the settlement was evaluated in terms of rockfall risk. The results indicate that the study area was at risk of future rockfalls and that it would be appropriate to relocate one part of the settlement.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of slope stabilization by stone columns

In this study, an investigation has been performed on a small-scaled laboratory model and its numerical model by the code of PLAXIS to see the effect of stone columns (SCs) placed vertically in a soft soil slope in terms of slope stability, bearing capacity, and settlements. Also, several hypothetical cases have been examined by the code. Effect of s/D ratios (distance between the vertical axes of SCs/diameter of SCs) was also investigated on slope stability, ultimate bearing capacity, and settlement of a footing rested on top of the slope on the laboratory model. Firstly, ultimate bearing capacity and settlement properties of soil were determined for unreinforced soil that is no SCs were considered. Then, some values of soil were determined after the installation of stone columns with various ratios of s/D. The ratios of s/D were 2, 3, 3.5, and 4. The tests carried out on the laboratory model were simulated and numerically analyzed in two dimensions under plain-strain conditions by Mohr?CCoulomb model. In the analyses, PLAXIS computer code, which is based on finite elements method, has been employed. Then, a parametric investigation was carried out to see the effect of SCs on the stability of the slope. In the parametric investigation, several hypothetical cases that were one layer of soil and two layers of soil with the presence of water in the reservoir side of the slopes were examined. The analyses in the investigation were performed by the PLAXIS code for various slope angles ??, ratios of c/(??H), and ratios of s/D. From the test results of the laboratory model, and the results obtained from the numerical analyses, it was observed that the bearing capacity of the footing constructed on the top of the slope in soft soil was increased; settlements were decreased after the improvement with SCs. From the analyses performed, it was found that the SCs increased the stability of slope 1.18- to 1.62-fold as a relative effect of different parameters.